


The Missing Piece

by ZoneRobotnik



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: bill is scheming, dipper has a fear of heights, dipper was super late to the party, mabel shares too much with her twin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6309184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the start of the summer, Mabel Pines went to Gravity Falls alone. At the end of the summer, Dipper comes to find out why she never came home for their birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Outsider

**Author's Note:**

> Gravity Falls © Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

Everything was going perfectly, the world was _almost_ in the palm of his hand! The only problem was that there was an infuriating resistance hidden behind a barrier made of unicorn hair and good ol' Fordsy wasn't being helpful at ALL!

Bill Cipher sighed heavily, thinking of how the _lovely_ Mabel Pines had seduced Gideon into switching sides at the last minute, promising him a chance at the love he desired so much.

Which meant that he didn't have Gideon and his human allies to assist with attacking the demon-proofed Mystery Shack.

No amount of torture had gotten Stanford Pines to talk, and with a piece missing from the Wheel they were at a stalemate, neither group being able to make a move against the other. And so it had been for two weeks since the rift had broken open while Stanford and Mabel were collecting a way to keep it sealed. And Bill had grown bored of torturing the old man and killing him and bringing him back to life, simply letting him dangle in chains near his throne.

Who knew that  _one little piece_ would make a difference in the battle for the end of the world? And because someone had forgotten to bring all the pieces to the battle, they were  _stuck_ ! Trapped in some stupid hick town, unable to leave because of some stupid “weirdness magnetism”! He glared with his single eye at the party going on around him – with them at a stalemate, there was no reason to not let his “friends” have a little fun until Bill found a way around it.

“Boss!” Keyhole ran into the room. “Boss, there's an outsider entering the area!”

“An outsider?” Bill frowned. “You mean a human?”

“Yeah! One of the sentries reported it in! A little boy!” Keyhole responded.

“Hmm...” Bill looked thoughtful, his yellow body changing to a view of the outside. Sure enough, not too far from the Mystery Shack, was a young boy that _strongly_ resembled Mabel Pines. He gasped, his body returning to normal, and turned to Keyhole. “I want him captured alive and unharmed. Take Pyronica with you!”

“Alive? So, not stone?” Keyhole asked.

“I suppose if you want to bring him by turning him to stone, I can change him back.” Bill waved it off dismissively. “But I don't want him anywhere near the humans!”

“Uh, why?” Pyronica asked, walking over to join them.

“Because that's Pine Tree!” Bill said excitedly. “The missing piece! Finally we can get out of this stalemate, and I WILL get him before they even know he's here! In fact, forget you guys! I'll get him myself!” He flew out of the Fearamid.

–

“Come on...come on...” Dipper Pines shook his watch, frowning at the stopped hands. “Oh, whatever. I'll replace it later.” He looked out from behind the tree-foot he'd hidden behind. And was that a human-sized tree he saw running around? He sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a letter from a few weeks before summer ended. Something about two great-uncles? Mabel had been getting into some weird stuff, and this town looked like some heavy-metal album cover – not that he listened to those, he only saw them in stores.

“Should be near here...” He mumbled, stepping onto the path and walking down it, looking at the address the letter was sent from.

He didn't notice something was behind him, and when something skittered by his feet he yelped and jumped back, bumping into...what was it, some kind of squishy wall? He looked behind him and his eyes widened before his mouth opened into a scream – which was swiftly silenced by the creature putting a hand over his mouth.

“Whoa, relax, Pine Tree!” The creature said with a gleeful look in its eye. It was a man-sized golden triangle with one yellow eye and a black bowtie and tophat and black arms and legs – one of which was currently gripping his face. “I'm not gonna hurt ya!” It assured him, moving its hand away.

“Uh...” Dipper looked the creature up and down. “What—uh, who are you?”

“Name's Bill Cipher, and I'm the lord and master of Gravity Falls!” The creature—Bill—held out a hand for him to shake. “I saw you coming in, decided to roll out the welcome wagon!”

“Uh...has this place...always been like this?” Dipper asked. It certainly didn't match any of the pictures she'd sent home.

“Eh, for a little while.” Bill shrugged. “So, what brings you to town?”

“I'm looking for my sister. She didn't come home when she was supposed to...she missed our birthday...” Dipper looked at the letter worriedly.

“Your sister?” Bill asked.

“Mabel Pines. My twin sister.” Dipper nodded.

“Ohhh, you must be Dipper!” Bill said, seeing to glow even brighter – if it was possible. “Yeah, I've heard her talk about you!”

“You know where she is?” Dipper asked.

“Sure, I'll take you there!” Bill grew into a larger size and extended a giant hand to Dipper. “Climb on!”

“Uhm...” Dipper looked uncertain. “Can't we...uhm, can't we walk?”

“Why, scared of heights?” Bill asked.

“Well, I didn't come with Mabel this summer because I fell out of a tree-house and was in the hospital when it was time to go, so...yeah, I'm a bit wary of heights.” Dipper looked around nervously.

“Aww, well that's too bad! You can just close your eyes.” Bill scooped him up suddenly and lifted him into the air, flying off towards a giant pyramid in the sky.

“Why does that place look like a last-boss dungeon?” Dipper asked, frowning.

“A what?” Bill shifted his eye to look at him.

“Well...it looks like something you'd find a bad guy in a video game in.” Dipper shrugged.

“Oh!” Bill laughed. “Well, isn't that a funny coincidence? I _am_ a bad guy!” He laughed.

“What?!” Dipper cried, backing up from the eye as much as he could. “Y-You said you were a ruler!”

“Well, yeah. I took over.” Bill said nonchalantly.

“When did this happen?!” Dipper asked, standing up and looking past Bill's fingers at the ground below.

“I think right about when summer ended, actually.” Bill cackled. “What'cha gonna do, jump?”

“W-What do you want with me?” Dipper looked at his captor.

“Oh, I have some plans for you, kid, don't you worry your little head about that!” Bill assured him with another laugh. “But first, a little family reunion!”

They went inside the Fearamid and Bill flew into the throne room. “FORDSY, I'M HOOOOOOOOOME!” Bill called. Dipper covered his ears and sank to his knees, trying to keep his hearing next to the bellowing triangle.

He saw what looked like a spider web shift and then realized that the glowing threads were actually chains, and there was a man chained up in the center. Frowning, Dipper slowly stood up again and went to Bill's thumb, which was closest to their destination.

As Bill reached the giant throne, Dipper cried out in horror when he realized it was made of people. “Ah, don't worry. They're not conscious! Maybe.” Bill nudged a waking statue back into place and they froze into stone again.

“Mabel?” The chained man breathed. “No, let her go!”

Bill sat down in the throne and set Dipper down on the arm of it. “Ah, reeeeelax, Sixer! Your precious apprentice is still safe and sound in the Shack with the others. But, since he came all this way, I thought you'd like to meet her brother!”

“Her brother?” The man looked at Dipper, frowning.

“Her twin, yep.” Bill snapped his fingers and the chains lowered, allowing them to see each other better. “Good ol' _Pine Tree_.”

Ford's eyes widened. “No...why did you come here? Do you have any idea what you've done?!” He cried.

“My sister never came home, I had to find out why! Is this world-ending stuff _your_ doing? Does it have to do with your portal?” Dipper pulled out the letter. “Where is my sister?!”

“She's in the Mystery Shack, with my brother and the others. Safe...unlike us.” Ford grimaced.

“What kind of dangerous stuff did you get my sister involved in?” Dipper cried. “She never asked to be a video game heroine, she just wanted a fun-filled summer!”

“To be fair, she got herself into danger all on her own a lot of times before Fordsy even came back.” Bill remarked.

“Dipper, you have to listen to me. You have to get out of Gravity Falls!” Ford insisted.

“That's a tall order.” Bill snickered, and the other creatures around them laughed with him.

“I'm not leaving without my sister!” He turned to Bill. “You said you'd let me see her!”

“Did I?” Bill hummed. “Must've slipped my mind. But, hey, why don't you sleep on it and we'll discuss this when you wake up?”

“Sleep? But, I'm not--” Bill snapped his fingers and Dipper slumped to the floor, falling on top of a screaming man.

“Dipper? Dipper?!” Ford cried.

“Your family has a wonderful habit of being OH-so helpful.” Bill scooped Dipper up and flew off with him.

“Wait, no! Bring him back!” Ford cried.

Bill looked at him. “Are you gonna give me that equation?” He asked, holding the unconscious boy in his hand.

“Never! I'll never let you out!” Ford replied.

“Bye, then!” Bill disappeared, ignoring Ford's screaming for him to come back.

**–**

Bill reappeared in his penthouse, where he flew over and gently laid the boy on the bed. “Heh, and just when I was starting to wonder how I was gonna get good ol' Shooting Star to come out of hiding.” He looked towards a bookshelf and conjured up a cauldron. “First things first...” He made a book come out and started to turn its pages with his extra arms.

A cabinet opened and ingredients flew out, circling the cauldron. “I can't do this with Sixer, thanks to his precautions, but the boy is exposed, easy prey.” He glanced at him. “And actually kind of cute, for a thirteen year old.” He stopped on a page and grinned. “Heeeere we go! Let's see good ol' Shooting Star break THIS spell!” He started to chamt, putting ingredients into the cauldron as he chanted.

Dipper slept on, his sleep undisturbed by the colorful flashes of light from the cauldron.


	2. Pine Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper arrives at the Mystery Shack and learns about the symbols. Why does it seem so familiar...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

The Mystery Shack was filled with a tense atmosphere, namely because there were a conflict of interest between Mabel Pines and her uncle on whether or not they should rescue his estranged brother. Not to mention the fact that any attempts to go outside had led to someone being captured and added to Bill's throne of human statues.

Mabel sighed and looked to her left, where Grenda was trying in vain to contact her boyfriend in the outside world, but Bill had knocked out all communication towers. Any attempts to tell time by technology had been proven to have stopped moving when they tried to use them, but she was estimating that it had been two weeks since the triangle had taken over.

Two. Weeks.   
  
During which time her 13th birthday had come and gone and while they had a small party on their own, it wasn't the same without her twin brother celebrating with her. With a sigh, she looked out the window and considered that it was better that he was out there in Piedmont, far away from here.

**Knock knock**

Mabel looked towards the door, frowning. Everyone who hadn't been captured was already in here. They hadn't sent anyone out on raids to find more food yet today, and the demons couldn't get past the unicorn barrier she'd set up with Great Uncle Ford. So, who could possibly...?

“Maybe it's the clones?” McGucket suggested as Mabel slowly got up. “They might've decided to leave the bunker after all?”

“Or the shapeshifter.” Wendy said, frowning.

“Whatever it is, we shouldn't drop our guard.” Gideon said quietly, massaging his wounded leg. Bill hadn't let him run away with Mabel easy, and two weeks later he was still in pain. He wondered if the fact that time wasn't really passing here had to do with it's healing progress.

“Should we get Stan?” Candy asked, looking towards where their so-called “Chief” was sulking in his room after a fight with Mabel.

“No. I'll get it.” Mabel picked up one of Ford's guns and walked over to the door, reaching out to the doorknob. She glanced up at the window, frowning when she didn't see anyone. Was it the wind? No, the wind didn't even blow anymore...

“Well? Open it!” Pacifica said, the others looking at the door worriedly.

Mabel swallowed nervously and opened it slowly, peeking out. “Who is it? What do you—Dipper?!” She threw the door open, her eyes wide with shock. “What are you DOING here?!”

Dipper looked taken aback by the question and looked at the weapon in her hand before looking back at her face. “You didn't come home! I had to find out what happened to you, I was so worried! I left a note with our parents and used my savings to buy a ticket and it looks like all HELL broke loose in here!”

“Well, you're right about that.” Mabel looked around and then held up a finger. “Hold on, Dipper. Let me just do something real quick. Hold still.” She reached into her coat and pulled out a flashlight, which she shone into Dipper's eyes. He winced at the light before rubbing them.

“What was THAT for?!” He asked, looking up at her.

“Your eyes are normal. Thank god. Come in, quickly, before he sees you!” Mabel pulled Dipper in and shut the door, Dipper quickly grabbing his luggage as she did.

“Before _who_ sees me? What did you get yourself into here, Mabel?” He asked, frowning. “And...who are all those people? Is that a _bear_?”

“Multibear, actually. And these people are all that's left of the town after Bill Cipher, the creep that lives in the floating black pyramid, captured everyone else.” Mabel said as she led him into the main area. “Guys, this is my brother, Dipper.”

“How did he manage to not get captured?” Gideon asked.

“With all the monsters running around, I kind of got the idea to _not_ let them see me. It's basic video game survival logic!” Dipper said, crossing his arms over his chest. “But where did this guy _come_ from!?”

There was a lot of awkward shifting and murmuring in the room, but no one gave him a straight answer until Stan came in and said, “My brother summoned him, thirty years ago. Bill's been trying to figure out how to get this 'Weirdmageddon' thing of his going ever since. Hey, Dipper. You look healthy.”

“You have a brother?” Dipper asked, then pulled out the latter from his pocket. “Right...I thought Mabel was joking! You mean everything you wrote about was REAL?!” He looked at Mabel.

“Uh-huh!” Mabel grinned.

“All this supernatural stuff?! And the two uncles!? All of it?!” Dipper slapped a hand to his forehead, then wondered to himself where his hat disappeared to. He must've lost it while running from a monster, he figured. 

“Yes, Dipper. It's true. All of it.” Mabel nodded.

Dipper stumbled back a bit, taking it all in. “Oh man. Mom and dad just laughed it off as your wild imagination. So...so, that...pyramid...it caused the sky to be all weird? I mean, it didn't even look weird until I felt like I was passing through water or something and then everything looked way different from just before. I mean, you certainly couldn't see any sign of the destruction! It looked just like all of Grunkle Stan's pictures he sent us!”

“That explains why no one's come in to investigate the weirdness. But, if Dipper could get in, can't we get out?” Wendy asked.

“Maybe. Or maybe it's one-way-only until Weirdmageddon is over.” Mabel pursed her lips. “But, it's certainly worth a shot! I'll take a small group to test the theory, Grunkle Stan can you make sure that Dipper is safe here?”

“Sure. C'mon, kid. Let's put your things up in your sister's room.” Stan nodded, motioning for Dipper to follow.

“What's in there?” Dipper looked towards the gift-shop.

“That? It's my gift-shop, though if you want something you can just have it.” Stan shrugged, picking up Dipper's luggage. “Go knock yourself out, kid.”

Dipper nodded, walking into the gift-shop. He looked around curiously and then spotted a bunch of hats on a shelf. “Ah!” He reached up and pulled one down, sitting it on his head and looking in the mirror. “I miss my star cap, but this'll do.” He said, nodding at the blue pine-tree picture on the hat.

_Pine Tree..._

“Huh?” Dipper blinked and looked around, then shrugged when he didn't see anyone. After looking around a bit more, he walked out to join the others again, just in time to see his sister rounding up her group.

“Gideon, you're going to stay here. Don't give me that look, you're wounded.” Mabel was saying. “Grenda, I'm putting you in charge of making sure Grunkle Stan doesn't skimp on his duties. I'm taking Candy, Pacifica, Wendy, and Jeff to test the theory.”

“Why Jeff?” Gideon asked.

“Because he's small.” Mabel shrugged. “And he needs to do something around here.”

“Hey!” A tiny man huffed. “I do plenty! I do most of the first-aid!”

“Then you can do that, in case of trouble.” Mabel shrugged. “Anyways, we should—OH MY GOD, DIPPER!” She turned to him fully. “Where did you get that?!”

“What? The hat?” Dipper touched it. “It was in the shop. Why?”

Mabel gaped and then looked at Gideon. “He can NOT be captured by Bill, understand? It's the last symbol!”

“Well, we have been missin' it.” Gideon nodded, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. “We'll keep him safe, don't worry.”

Mabel nodded and then turned to the others. “Okay, guys. Remember, if you see an eye-bat, shoot it down.” She opened the door and walked out, the others following her.

Dipper watched her go, then looked at Gideon. “Uh...last symbol?”

“We've been at a stalemate with Bill Cipher for two weeks because we didn't have the last symbol needed to defeat him. Even if we rescued Stanford, we'd still--”

“But Grunkle Stan is here.” Dipper frowned.

“Actually, that's Stan _ley_ , but that's a long story you can be told later. Anyways, now that we have you we can focus on rescuing Stanford and then we can draw up the circle and be rid of him forever. 'Him' being Bill, not Stanford.”

“Why does Mabel think I'm the 'last symbol'?” Dipper asked.

Gideon sighed and patted the spot next to him. “Come here, I'll show you.”

Dipper walked over and sat next to him, looking at a paper with what looked like a magic circle, a triangle wearing a tophat and bowtie in the middle. He couldn't help but think that it looked familiar. “That's...Bill Cipher?”

Gideon nodded. “Yeah, that's him. He's a nightmare demon, hell-bent of destroying our world just for fun. Anyway, we have all these symbols, right? You see here that we've put names by each one. All except for one.” He pulled out a pencil. “Mabel thinks it's you. And, honestly, no one ever seems to buy that hat, but you put it on right away as soon as you got here, so I'm inclined to believe her.” He wrote Dipper's name next to the pine-tree symbol. “Supposedly, when all of the symbols are gathered and stand in this order holding hands, then Bill Cipher will be banished by the old magics to his own dimension once more.”

“Supposedly?” Dipper asked.

“Well, no one's tried it. But, it was on a cave wall with far too advanced writing next to it for it to be from the same time-period, so we suspect a time-traveller came from a time after it was used and wrote it, in hope it would be used sooner.”

“What, time-travel is real now?” Dipper asked.

“You're currently in a room with a Multibear and a unicorn and you're doubting time-travel is real?” Gideon raised an eyebrow at him.

“I...guess you have a point.” Dipper looked back at the paper. “So...what if it doesn't work?”

Gideon sighed. “Then we have to come with with another plan. Mabel and Stan have thought of something, but they don't want to use it.”

Dipper shrugged. “Okay.” He looked at Gideon. “So...who are you, anyway?”

“Oh, I'm Gideon. Gideon Gleeful. I'm sort of dating your sister.” He held out a hand.

“Sort of?” Dipper shook it.

“Well, she's warmin' up to me. We've had a very rocky start.” Gideon cleared his throat and looked back at the paper. “I really hope this does work. If it doesn't...if Bill does win...then I could never forgive myself.”

“Why?” Dipper asked.

“In my pursuit for power, I summoned him after he was sealed away for thirty years. Ever since, he's been harrassin' my dear little Mabel.” Gideon looked down forlornly.

Dipper looked at the paper, scanning the symbols with his eyes. They all looked so....mundane. Not like something you would find on a magic circle. Okay, so the six-fingered hand looked pretty magical, and the star, but not much else. Glasses? A bag of ice? A llama? He spotted a guy wearing a hoodie with the stitched heart nearby, but he didn't see a question mark anywhere in the room. Stan was wearing that weird symbol on his fez, and he had seen the shooting star symbol on his sister's sweater the day she came to Gravity Falls. And then there was the pine tree on his new hat. Was Mabel right? Was he really the missing piece?

He looked toward the door. “They've been gone a while.”

“It hasn't been that long, and they are going to the edge of town on foot.” Gideon said, massaging his leg again.

“Hey, I found the copies of the books.” A man in a question mark shirt said as he came into the room. “Stan had them in the...Mabel? You're in boy's clothes?”

“This is her twin brother.” Gideon said, nodding to him. “You should take those to Stan.”

“Oh, sweet!” Soos walked over, a box held under his arm, and held out a hand. “Call me Soos!”

Dipper shook his hand. “Dipper.”

Soos smiled and walked away, carrying the box with him.

“Books?” Dipper looked at Gideon.

“Stanford's research. They have information about how to beat Bill. He destroyed the original copies, unfortunately.” Gideon sighed, setting his wounded leg down on the floor. “Help me stand?”

“Sure.” Dipper took his arm and helped him up. “Where do you wanna go?”

“I just need to exercise this leg.” Gideon winced. “I don't know what Bill did to it when he shot me, but it's not gettin' better.”

“Can I see?” Dipper asked.

“It's not visible from the outside.” Gideon shook his head.

“Yikes.” Dipper shivered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can they get out?


	3. Trade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel's been gone a while, and when she comes back they're missing someone! Gideon won't let them leave his cousin to Bill's hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

Dipper watched out the window anxiously, hoping for a sign of his sister. He kept checking the clock, but after his fifth time doing it Gideon had informed him that time had stopped for the town and it was pointless to watch the clock. Sighing, he resigned himself to sitting and waiting.  
  
“So...” He looked at Gideon. “How did you meet my sister?”  
  
“She came to my show.” Gideon smiled a bit. “The most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.”  
  
“So, why did you summon the triangle guy?” Dipper asked.  
  
“That's unrelated to Mabel, but it certainly soured things for us. I summoned him to get into your uncle's mind.” Gideon replied.  
  
“Oh.” Dipper thought back to a letter Mabel had sent, where she talked about going into Grunkle Stan's head. “...How is Grunkle Stan not Stanford?”  
  
“Because Stanford is his long-lost twin he took the identity of so he could keep the house and fix the interdimensional portal that broke after the real Stanford fell through it.” Gideon massaged his leg.  
  
“Is that the big X in the sky?” Dipper asked.  
  
“No, that's a rift that was created by the portal opening up again.” Gideon shook his head.  
  
“Why are the trees feet?” Dipper asked. “I don't recall that in the brochure.”  
  
“Ahh, shut up with the questions! That psycho that came in and took over changed everything so it was weird, okay?!” The guy in the hoodie stood up and walked over to him. “Why are you even here?!”  
  
“Because my sister didn't come home!” Dipper stood up on the chair and glared at him.  
  
“Robbie.” Gideon said coolly. “We're already tense enough without infighting. He's new to the 'party', so of course he's asking questions.”  
  
“Well, it's driving me insane!” Robbie snapped at him. “Take it upstairs or something!”  
  
Gideon just rolled his eyes and looked at Dipper. “Don't mind him, he's always this way.”  
  
Dipper nodded. “So...those symbols...they're supposed to be magical or something?” He asked.  
  
“Yeah, they're supposed to be m _agical_ or some shit.” Robbie stomped off.  
  
“He's _always_ like this?” Dipper cringed.  
  
“Well, he might be a little upset from his parents being abducted and turned into statues.” Gideon shrugged. “But, so were mine, and I'm not stomping around like an elephant.”  
  
Dipper looked out the window, looking towards the flying pyramid that moved over the town in a strange pattern. It was only by the pyramid moving that he knew time was passing at all, though he couldn't really guess how fast it was moving per hour.  
  
Finally, they heard knocking and Robbie went to open the door. “Mabel, what's the news? Can we escape?”  
  
“No.” Mabel shook her head, stepping in with her group behind her. Dipper noticed that they were missing someone at the same time that Gideon did. “One-way only.”  
  
“Pacifica?” He breathed, getting up. “Mabel, where is Pacifica?!”  
  
Mabel glanced to the side grimly. “She sacrificed herself so the rest of us could escape. The eye-bat could only take one of us at a time, and we were cornered and out of ammo. I'm so sorry, Gideon.”  
  
“No...” Gideon breathed, going to look outside. “Bill got Pacifica?”  
  
“Who's Pacifica?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Gideon's cousin.” Mabel walked over to him. “How are you doing? You didn't go out, right?”  
  
“No.” Dipper shook his head.  
  
“Good.” Mabel nodded.  
  
Gideon stared out at the empty yard and then walked over to fgrab his bag. “I'm going after that eye-bat.”  
  
“Gideon, no!” Mabel ran to his side. “You can't get captured by Bill! Who knows what he'll do to you!”  
  
“If I can save Pacifica, then it's worth it. She's one of the most important things to me.” He looked at Mabel. “It's alright, darlin'. I'll be okay.”  
  
“No, don't go!” Mabel hugged him tightly. “Please, Gideon! I can't bear to lose you to him!”  
  
Gideon hugged her tightly and then one of his hands went between them. Mabel gasped as she was floated into the air by a blue light and then Gideon was stepping outside without her.  
  
“Gideon, no! Let me down!” Mabel cried.  
  
“I'm sorry, Mabel. I can't leave her to him.” Gideon released the amulet he wore and then ran off, limping as he went.  
  
“Gideon!” Mabel started to run off after him and Robbie grabbed her.  
  
“Just because he's crazy, it doesn't mean that you have to give Bill exactly what he wants!” Robbie snapped. “You know that he's been trying to lure you out this whole time!”  
  
“What happened?!” Stan came out of the other room.  
  
“Bill got Pacifica, so Gideon went out to save her.” Wendy told him.  
  
“What?! Why would he do something so stupid?!” Stan frowned.  
  
“Because unlike _someone,_ he thinks rescuing family is more important than hiding where it's safe!” Mabel snapped at him.  
  
“Uh oh, not getting into this one.” Robbie said, shutting the front door and backing away slowly.  
  
“Yeah, uhm, Dipper, was it? Let's go get you some food in the kitchen.” Wendy came over and led Dipper out of the room. Moments after they closed the dividing door, Dipper heard yelling.  
  
“Oh boy...so, uh, juice?” Wendy said, trying to lighten the situation.  
  
–  
  
“Yo, Boss!” Teeth came up to him. “Gideon's out and wants to speak with you.”  
  
“Gideon?” Bill looked up from toying with Ford and sat up straight. “Very well, escort him in and let's see what he wants.” His eye squinted in glee. He knew EXACTLY what Gideon wanted, he had noticed the lovely new addition to his collection and had held off on adding it to the chair right away for just this reason.  
  
“Alrighty.” Teeth headed off.  
  
Shortly, Gideon was unceremoniously dropped in front of Bill's throne onto his hands and knees. “There you go, boss.”  
  
“Good. Now go back to the party.” Bill waved him off and then pointed a finger at Gideon before bending it towards himself in a “Come here” motion. Gideon was surrounded by a yellow glow and then he was floated over to where Bill could see him better. “Gideoooooon, how nice to see you! How's that leg, eh?”  
  
“I'd rather skip the small-talk.” Gideon said firmly. “I'm here on business.”  
  
“Oh, fine.” Bill picked up the statue of Pacifica and brought it over so Gideon could see it. “You want her, right?”  
  
“Yes.” Gideon said stiffly.  
  
“No! Whatever he want, don't give it to him!” Ford cried.  
  
“How about a trade?” Bill said, his eye wide with excitement. “You for her. I'll even have her be taken right to the Mystery Shack!”  
  
“Gideon, don't do it!” Ford pleaded. “They need you there!”  
  
“But Pacifica needs me more.” Gideon said firmly.  
  
“Mabel needs you! Are you really going to give her up for your cousin?!” Ford asked.  
  
Gideon looked at Ford. “...I'm not going to throw my family to the wolves.” He looked back at Bill. “Alright. A trade. Myself for Pacifica, as long as she is unharmed and brought back to the Mystery Shack.”  
  
“Great!” Bill grinned and snapped his fingers. A birdcage appeared around Gideon and Pacifica was restored to normal.  
  
“W-What? Where? Gideon? Ahh!” Pacifica screamed when she noticed Bill was holding her.  
  
“Take her back to the Shack.” Bill said as an eyebat came flying over. “I don't need her anymore. And a deal's a deal.” He looked at Gideon. “She'll be unharmed.”  
  
“I don't understand...how could you choose this?” Ford asked Gideon.  
  
“Because family comes first. Always.” Gideon smiled sadly at Pacifica. “I'll see you later, cousin.”  
  
“Gideon? No! No, let him go!” Pacifica cried as she was picked up by the eye-bat's beam. “No, let me go! Gideon! Gideoooon!”  
  
“Go.” Bill waved them off and the eye-bat flew away. “Now, what do I do with you?” He hummed, looking at Gideon. “As you know, I don't like betrayal. Simply turning you into a statue isn't good enough.”  
  
Gideon glanced to the side, gripping the bars.  
  
–  
  
“Pacifica!” Mabel gasped as she opened the door and found an eyebat flying off, leaving Pacifica at the door.  
  
“Mabel...” Pacifica looked away guiltily. “Gideon traded himself for me.”  
  
“Oh, Pacifica...” Mabel hugged her. “Come on, let's go inside. We can't do anything right now...”  
  
“Why not?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Well, we came up with some ideas, but it requires going out to get supplies. And we barely manage to get food.” Mabel said glumly. “Bill knows all of us already, so...”  
  
“He doesn't know me.” Dipper stood up.  
  
“Dipper, no. If he gets you, that means he'll have one more piece of the circle.” Mabel shook her head.  
  
“We don't know that I'm actually a piece! I just put on a random hat in the giftshop!” Dipper pointed to it.  
  
“A hat that I've been trying all summer to sell.” Stan commented. “Gideon's right, you put it on right away.”  
  
“Only because I lost my hat! Wait...when did I lose my hat?” Dipper frowned.  
  
“It could've happened at any point. It's been a long day, maybe you should rest.” Mabel sighed. “Come on, I'll show you my room. There's a second bed in there, we've mostly been using it to treat the wounded.”  
  
“I was planning on both of you coming, but then Mabel came alone.” Stan shrugged.  
  
Dipper sighed. “Maybe I am just tired. Okay, I'll go lie down.”  
  
“Come on.” Mabel led him out of the room.  
  
“So, uh...do you and Grunkle Stan fight a lot?” Dipper asked as they walked to the stairs.  
  
“...Only since his brother came back. They were having a bitter rivalry thing going, and then the rift opened and Bill took over and took Grunkle Ford and Stan refused to go save him...all because he wasn't thanked for Stan opening the portal again.” Mabel said as she opened the bedroom. “Okay, here we are. Let me just clean up your bed a bit.” She walked over to move stuff off it.  
  
“Your boyfriend just gave himself up...you're taking this really well.” Dipper said, walking over to look out the window. What was it with this town and _triangles_?  
  
“Bill Cipher was worshiped by people long ago. Our uncle found a mural of him in a cave and that's how this whole mess started.” Mabel said, sighing. “And now he's here and everyone's in trouble.”  
  
“Our parents were going to call the FBI on our uncle.” Dipper sighed. “I convinced them not to. It's probably better, we don't want more people being captured by that triangle.”  
  
Mabel nodded. “Yeah. Well, I have to go back downstairs, but you should get some sleep.” Mabel sighed. “ _Someone_ has to lead this resistance.” She walked out of the room, leaving Dipper alone.  
  
Dipper looked at the window and then walked over to climb into bed, taking off his shoes as he did. “What a mess...” He lay down and pulled the covers up to his chin.  
  
He couldn't help but feel like he'd seen the triangle guy before, though...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right now for the symbols it's  
> Bill: 2 (technically 3)  
> Mabel: 8 (technically 7, but she doesn't know that.)  
> Game on!


	4. Little Wooden Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill tortures Gideon and then makes his move with Dipper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD
> 
> (A.N.: Warning, slight gore.))

Gideon shifted his arm, sighing sadly. He had been chained up on this slab of metal hours ago by Bill's goons and was starting to wonder if this was his life from now on. Chained to a lonely slab in a dungeon, staring at the brick ceiling.  
  
He was taken from his thoughts by the door opening and then Bill floated into the room, shrank down closer to his size as when he first met him. “Goood evening, Gideon~!” He said in a cheery voice that sent chills down the boy's spine. “Are you ready to play?”  
  
“Play?” Gideon whispered.  
  
“Speak up, kiddo, can't hear you.” Bill cackled.  
  
“W-What do you mean by 'play'?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Well, let's see...” Bill said thoughtfully. “There's a few games we can play, but I don't think you're old enough for some of them. Or strong enough. Hm...Oh, I know!” He snapped his fingers and his appearance changed, so he was wearing a doctor's scrubs instead of a bowtie and top-hat. “Let's play doctor! How's your leg feeling, hm?” He ran a finger along his leg slowly, pressing on it a bit too hard.  
  
“Hhngh!” Gideon cringed in pain.  
  
“That's what I thought. Well, there's no helping it.” He snapped his fingers and a rope appeared. He grabbed Gideon's other leg and forced it to bend up towards Gideon's chest before he tied his leg in that position with the rope. Then he pulled Gideon's pantleg up and tsked at him. “Yep, as I thought. We'll have to amputate.”  
  
“What? N-No, you don't have to do that!” Gideon cried out.  
  
“Oh, but I do.” Bill's eye squinted gleefully and formed a laser-knife in his hand. “Don't worry, this will cauterize the wound, so you won't bleed out.”  
  
“Bill!” Ford called.  
  
“Oh, I'm being called. I'll be right back.” Bill set down the laser-knife on the edge of the slab and floated out of the room. “Yesss, Fordsy~!?”  
  
Gideon looked up at the chains binding his hands and struggled with them, managing to get one hand out, but at a price. It was bloody by the time he managed it, and once it was free he cradled it to his chest whimpering in pain.  
  
“Well, that was an annoying waste of time.” Bill said, floating back into the room. “Now, let's—my, Gideon! What have you done to your hand?”  
  
“N-Nothing!” Gideon tried to hide it from him in his damaged shirt.  
  
“Ohhh, tsk tsk.” Bill grabbed his hand, looking it over. “So bloody. We really must clean this up.” He blinked and then, to Gideon's horror, his eye changed into a mouth, with a long tongue coming out. Bill licked the blood off Gideon's hand and then released it, his eye returning to normal. “Don't mutilate yourself, Gideon. That's my job. And speaking of which, let's get down to business!” He reached over and picked up the laser-knife. “Feel free to scream. In fact, I encourage it.” Bill raised his hand and then brought the knife down on Gideon's leg.  
  
Gideon screamed as blinding pain took over him and all he could hear were the sounds of Bill's laughter and his own screams as the smell of burning flesh reached his nose. By the time Bill was done, he was sobbing and begging for it to stop.  
  
“There! All gone!” Bill held up his leg to show him. Gideon turned his head away, tears slipping down his cheeks. “Ohh, Gideon. Are you crying?” Bill set the severed leg on a shelf that appeared and moved over to hover over the boy. “Good. This is what happens to traitors.” He hissed, and then Gideon whimpered as Bill's eye changed into a mouth again and the tongue was stroking his cheek, licking up the tears. Then it was gone and Bill was over at his stump of a leg, looking at it thoughtfully.  
  
“Well, now. You're not much use to me with only one leg. I know!” Bill snapped his fingers and summoned another leg, this one looking like it belonged to a lizardman. “I'll just sew this on!” He summoned a sewing kit and set to work, Gideon whimpering and sobbing the whole time. “ _Doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my backdoor._ ” Bill sang as he worked. Then he moved back to examine his handiwork. “There. And now...snap!” He snapped his fingers and the lizard leg merged with the human leg seamlessly. “Lovely. Now, let's see that hand.”  
  
“No, no!” Gideon cried, turning on his side.  
  
“You've damaged it, Gideon, I have to amputate it.” Bill said in a faux-concerned tone. “Let me see it.”  
  
“No, please...” Gideon begged. “It'll get better, really! I don't need it amputated!”  
  
“Nope, doctor's orders. It has to be cut off.” Bill grabbed his hand and pinned it in place, floating the blade over to his free hand. “Here we go. Keep your eyes open this time, it's really quite a sight.” Bill cackled.  
  
–  
  
Ford looked over as he heard Gideon's pained screams again and sighed sadly. “The poor child...” He whispered. “I'm so sorry...this is all my fault...”  
  
“I don't think he can hear you.” Pyronica commented with a grin.  
  
Ford glared at her. “How can he be so sadistic? Gideon's just a child!”  
  
“A child that dabbles in black magic.” Pyronica laughed. “He brought this on himself.”  
  
Ford looked towards the screams and noticed they had finally died down. “...Poor child.”  
  
–  
  
“There, all done!” Bill said, snapping his fingers as the lizardman hand merged with Gideon's human wrist. Then he put Gideon's hand next to his leg before returning to his side and unchaining his other hand. “Isn't that better?” He asked, untying the rope around his other leg.  
  
Gideon curled up as soon as his trapped limbs were free, sobbing and cradling his mutilated hand to his chest. “W-Why? How could you...you do this?”  
  
“Because it's fun! For me. And because bad boys that break promises need to be punished.” Bill poked Gideon's nose and cackled before going over to a corner of the room and picking up a wooden puppet that had no distinct features while singing. “ _Little wooden head, go play your heart. Bring a little joy to every heart. Little do you know – and yes, it's true – that I'm mighty proud of you._ ” He floated around the room with the puppet, cackling a bit before continuing, the puppet changing its features. “ _Little wooden head with eyes that_ _ **shine**_ _. Little wooden head that's made of_ _ **pine**_ _. In a weary world you do your share, spreading laughter everywhere._ ” He laughed maniacally as the puppet took the complete form of Dipper with Bill's eyes. “ _Never let a single tear be shed, my li-tle wood-en head._ ”  
  
“You already got him...” Gideon breathed. “You just made him forget!”  
  
“That's riiiiight! And with my little puppet in place, your little girlfriend isn't as safe as she thinks!” Bill laughed.  
  
“No..Mabel!” Gideon started to sit up.  
  
“Ah-ah. Nope. You gave yourself up, little hero. No running off to save your fair princess.” Bill used oe hand to push him back onto the slab. “She's going to have to be saved by someone else.”  
  
–  
  
Mabel had fallen asleep after a weary day of making sure everyone had everything they needed. When she went to bed, Dipper was already fast asleep, which she felt a bit sad abut. She missed telling him good night.  
  
Dipper slowly sat up in bed, his eyes glowing yellow, and then he reached into his vest and pulled out a knife as he stepped off his bed and walked towards Mabel's.   
  
_**Kill her.**_

Cackling, he brought the knife down, but it stopped just short because of a firm grip from a teenager that appeared out of the darkness. Robbie pulled him back and held his wrist tight enough to force him to drop the knife.  
  
“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!”  
  
“Dipper?” Mabel woke up and looked around. “Robbie! What are you doing?!”  
  
“Look at his eyes, Mabel!” Robbie told her. “That's not Dipper!”  
  
She looked at him and gasped, seeing yellow eyes with slit pupils. “Bill Cipher! No...when did he get you?!”  
  
“Let me go! Ahhh!” Dipper thrashed in his tight hold.  
  
Robbie punched Dipper in the gut and made him cry out before he slumped in his hold. “Sorry, Mabel.”  
  
“No...you did what you had to.” Mabel stood up and noticed the knife on the floor. “He tried to kill me...”  
  
“Or at least wound you.” Robbie looked at Dipper hanging unconscious by his arm. “We have that cage the Gremoblin was kept in...”  
  
“Let's put him in there.” Mabel nodded. “And...I guess we have to tell Grunkle Stan and the others.”  
  
Robbie nodded. “Do you think he knows?”  
  
“I doubt it.” Mabel pursed her lips. “He didn't even remember meeting Bill. He must've caught him just as he got into town.”  
  
“Let's get him in the cage, before he wakes up. We can explain things if he asks.” Robbie carried him out of the room.  
  
Mabel nodded, picking up the knife and walking out after him.  
  
–  
  
“Aww, Stitch-Heart saved her.” Bill said, watching as the puppet changed back to the way it was before. “What a shame. Better luck next time.”  
  
Gideon let out a sigh of relief. “She's safe.” He whispered.  
  
“For now.” Bill shrugged. “Hey, wanna play another game?” He grinned.  
  
“W-What game?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Let's play hide and seek. You hide, and I'll seek.” Bill gestured to the door. “Get to hiding. I'll be nice and count to a thousand. It's a big place.”  
  
Gideon got off the slab. “A-And if I win?”  
  
“Then I'll give you a break.” Bill's eye squinted. “If I win, then you have to do whatever I tell you to do.”  
  
“That's unfair!” Gideon said without thinking.  
  
“Considering how you're a little traitor that gave himself up to me willingly, I'd say I'm being plenty fair. Now, get to hiding.” Bill pointed to the door.  
  
Gideon quickly ran through it, stumbling a bit as he had to get used to his new leg. Bill grinned and turned to the wall, starting to count.  
  
If only he could find a way off this thing!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Dipper.


	5. Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gideon and Bill face off in a frightening game of hide and seek. Who will win?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

Gideon ran for longer than he could keep track, trying to navigate this giant pyramid. No, it wasn't even like regular pyramids, it was a spaceship in the shape of a pyramid on the outside and on the inside he didn't know WHAT they were going for. A fun house? A maze? He was so utterly lost, there was no way he could make it back to the room. His best hope was to hide until Bill said he gave up, whenever that was. He found a pillar that looked promising and ducked behind it, curling up into the corner of the wall behind it.  
  
He stayed there for a long time, every now and then hearing Bill saying “Giiiideon, where aaaare you?” before he couldn't hear him anymore. He had finally started to relax and let the fear and pain sink in, tears slipping down his cheeks, when he heard something stop by the pillar and froze.   
  
“Who's over here?” He heard a soft voice say. Then he saw Keyhole look behind the pillar and whimpered a bit. He had only really seen him from a distance, so seeing him up-close was really unnerving. “Oh, it's you, Gideon.” Keyhole reached in and pulled him out, looking at him curiously. “What are you doing in there?”  
  
“W-We're...playing hide and seek.” Gideon said nervously, looking around.  
  
“Hide and...what? What the hell is Bill doing playing that?” Keyhole sighed, looking to the side. “You know, usually we would've blown this place by now, but because of Stanford Pines we're still stuck here. And he could've used any of you humans as bait, but he insists on using Shooting Star.” He looked at Gideon. “The only reason we haven't killed you all is because Bill wants you all alive for some reason.”  
  
Gideon gave a helpless shrug, looking around anxiously. “Can you...put me back in my hiding place?”  
  
“You really think he won't find you there?” Keyhole raised an eyebrow.  
  
“It's the best I could find...” Gideon mumbled.  
  
“Yeah, no. Don't be boring, he's probably already found you and is biding his time making you think you're safe so he can freak you out. Tell you what, I'm bored. I'll find you another hiding place.” He started to walk away from the pillar.  
  
“Wait, where are we going?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Just another area in the pyramid.” Keyhole replied. “I think Bill's bored, too. Your giving yourself up gave him someone new to play with, so he's actually really enjoying this.”  
  
“I can tell.” Gideon said, looking at his right hand.  
  
“Could be worse, you could've gotten tentacles.” Keyhole said cheerfully. Gideon shuddered and Keyhole chuckled a bit. “So, how does he put those on you? Just snap and change?”  
  
“No, he cut off my hand and leg and sewed them on, and _then_ he snapped his fingers to merge them with the rest of me.” Gideon said glumly.  
  
“Well, like I said, it could be worse.” Keyhole shrugged and entered a room, where there was a bunch of artifacts on shelves. Next to Gideon these artifacts were HUGE, as big as his house. He walked up to one and set him down next to it. “There we go! Pick any of the artifacts on this shelf to hide behind or in, make it a challenge!” Keyhole grinned and headed for the door. “Bye now!”  
  
“...Bye.” Gideon gave a small wave before hiding behind a fancy statue of a woman in a robe with several eyes. After tucking himself safely behind her back, but so he was able to see from the gap between her arm and her lap, he finally let himself relax again. He couldn't cry, though. Not this time. That's how Keyhole had found him.  
  
–  
  
“Gideon?” Bill looked around and then spotted Keyhole walking down the hall. “Hey, aren't you supposed to be on patrol?”  
  
“My shift ended, Xanthar's on patrol now.” Keyhole replied. “I'm going to get some Space Punch.”  
  
“Don't drink too much. You seen Gideon?” Bill asked.  
  
“Isn't he still on that slab?” Keyhole asked.  
  
“No, we're playing hide and seek. I gave him some cool changes!” Bill said excitedly.  
  
Keyhole gave him a humoring expression. “No, I haven't seen your new doll.” He walked on past him. “Good luck finding him.”  
  
“Yep. I found him before, but he was sneaky and had moved when I decided to actually grab him. Hey, Gideon, where you at?” Bill moved on.  
  
He searched room after room until he finally heard the softest little breaths coming from the artifact room. If he hadn't been quiet for a bit, he would've missed it. He went into the room and looked around, checking each artifact. “Gideon? Where are you?”  
  
A sharp inhale of breath alerted him towards a certain shelf and he checked the artifacts before pausing in front of one. “...The Oracle.” He muttered, then moved the statue a bit. “Ah hah!” His eye squinted with glee. “Found you!”  
  
Gideon backed away from him in terror but Bill was quicker, scooping him up before he could run. “No, no!”  
  
“We had a deal, remember? I catch you and you have to do whatever I say.” Bill said as he carried him out of the room.  
  
“What do you want me to do?” Gideon asked nervously.  
  
“Sing.” Bill smiled.  
  
“Sing?” Gideon blinked, confused.  
  
“Yep! I want you to sing and keep singing until I tell you to stop.” Bill said as he headed for the throne room.  
  
“Does...it matter what song?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Nope. Sing whatever you want, but don't stop until I say you can.” Bill said cheerfully.  
  
It sounded easy enough. Gideon held onto Bill's finger as he was carried over to the throne of captured citizens and then he was set into the cage he had been put in before. “When do I start?” Gideon asked, noticing the door wasn't closed on him.  
  
“Good God, child, what did he do to you?” Ford breathed.  
  
“Right now.” Bill said, settling down in his throne.  
  
Gideon nodded and started to sing. He sang what came to mind and when one song he continued onto another. He of course avoided obnoxious or long-winding songs for fear of Bill not liking them, but he managed it pretty well. He sang for hours and hours, pausing for water Bill supplied every ten songs, until he finally felt his throat growing sore and his voice sounded hoarse. He tried to keep it up, though, hoping Bill would give him the okay to stop, but Bill just relaxed and listened with one hand propped against his...head? Side? Angle? Whatever it was, he was relaxed.  
  
And then it happened. Nothing came out when Gideon tried to sing, and he clutched at his throat in fear. Bill opened his eye and looked at him incredulously.  
  
“I didn't say to stop.” Bill told him. Gideon tried and failed to tell him he'd lost his voice and Bill sighed. “What, can't sing? Well, let's see if you can scream.” He grabbed Gideon from the cage and got up.  
  
“Bill, no! Let the boy have a break, he's only a child!” Ford cried out.  
  
“Tell you what, give me the equation and I'll set him free.” Bill said, turning to him. Ford was silent and Bill scoffed. “Yeah, that's what I thought.” He carried Gideon away. “Well, you stopped before I said you could, so it's time for another punishment!”  
  
“P-Please...please..” Gideon weakly begged, clinging to his fingers that held him like a cage. “I-I'm sorry...forgive me...please...don't do this...”  
  
“Can't hear you, you'll have to speak up.” Bill said, bringing him into the room with the metal slab and laying him on his stomach before strapping all his limbs and torso down before ripping his shirt off to expose his back. “Let's see...what should I give you...ah, I know!” Bill cackled. “Close your eyes, Gideon. No peeking, it's a surprise!”  
  
Gideon whimpered silently and bowed his head into the slab, his body already shaking with fear. And then the pain started as Bill started to sew something into his back and he thrashed helplessly in his bonds as he let out weak screams. Bill started to sing “ _Take these broken wings and learn to fly away, learn to live so free. And when you hear the voices sing, the book of love will open up and let us in, oh yeeeah._ ” as he worked.  
  
Finally, Bill moved back and snapped his fingers to merge whatever it was into his back. “There we go!” He unfastened all the straps and moved back again. “Go on, take a look.”  
  
Gideon looked over his shoulder and gasped as he saw glistening, white feathers. He moved one shoulder and the matching wing shifted, then the other shoulder and the other did the same. “W-What...”  
  
“They're swan wings! Aren't they beautiful? Just _perfect_ for you!” Bill said gleefully. “Oh, I am such a genius when it comes to this stuff! Come on, let's go show you off!”   
  
Gideon, disoriented from pain, slumped against Bill's thumb when he lifted him up and carried him away. He just wanted this day to be over...  
  
“Look, look!” Bill said excitedly as he entered the throne room. “Aren't they beautiful?”  
  
“Aww, it's just like Icarus who flew too close to the sun and got burned!” Pyronica said adoringly. “Nice work, Bill!”  
  
“What...?” Ford looked over in concern and gasped when Gideon was brought over to the cage and laid down.  
  
“You can sleep now if you want to.” Bill said as he closed the cage. “It's been a rough day. Tomorrow we can test your wings out and play tag!” He said gleefully.  
  
“What kind of deranged child are you?” Ford breathed.  
  
“Hey, he's a kid, I'm playing kid games. I don't normally play kid games.” Bill said pointedly. “You know, I think he's coming along very well! What should I change next? Ohh, how about cat eyes? Or maybe a tail?”  
  
“Hey, as long as you're happy, boss, we're happy.” Pyronica grinned. “How'd the puppet thing go?”  
  
“Ugh, Stitch-Heart ruined my fun. We'll capture him next.” Bill said with an annoyed squint of the eyes. “Put him in another cage, or chain him up.”  
  
“Why not turn him to stone?” Keyhole asked.   
  
“I guess we could, but I want to beat him up for getting in my way.” Bill said, rolling his eye.  
  
“Okay, we'll beat him up.” Pyronica laughed.  
  
Ford looked at Gideon worriedly, wondering if the poor boy would be alright. 'Hasn't he had enough?' He thought.  
  
–  
  
Dipper awoke to find himself looking at metal bars. “Huh?” He sat up and looked around. “Mabel? Mabel, where are you?!”  
  
“Dipper?” Mabel looked into the room. “Is it you?”  
  
“Who else would it be?” Dipper frowned. “Why am I in a cage?”  
  
“...Because last night, Bill Cipher took over your body somehow and tried to kill me.” Mabel said sadly.  
  
“I...what? Wait, how could he do that when I've never met him!” Dipper protested.  
  
“That you know of.” Robbie stepped into the room. “He could've gotten ahold of you when you first entered the barrier around Gravity Falls and then made you forget the encounter. Whatever he did, it allowed him to attack Mabel from inside the Shack, which has been warded against him and his goons. And that's why you're in the cage.”  
  
“S-So, undo whatever he did!” Dipper said, gripping the bars of the cage. “I want out!”  
  
“We will, as soon as we figure out what he did.” Mabel said, sighing. “I'm so sorry, Dipper. You'll have to stay in here. I mean, we'll let you out to use the bathroom, of course, but you'll have to be closely supervised for that.”  
  
“I can't believe this...some psycho triangle got in my head and takes over my body and I don't even _remember_ it?” Dipper held his head. “This is crazy! Why me?!”  
  
“Probably because you really are Pine Tree.” Robbie sighed.  
  
Dipper stopped short. “Pine Tree...I vaguely remember being called that before...”  
  
“Yeah, probably him. He called me Stitch-Heart, Mabel's Shooting Star. I think Gideon is the only one he hasn't been calling by his symbol.” Robbie said, frowning. “Not sure why.”  
  
“It doesn't matter why. What matters is that we find out how he's controlling Dipper so he never does it again!” Mabel said firmly. “Grunkle Ford has a machine downstairs. It's a bit damaged, but it should help us figure _something_ out.”  
  
“Beats trying to get in his castle.” Robbie shrugged.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, Bill, you trying to make a chimera?


	6. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ford takes the chance to escape during a game of tag, but Bill doesn't give up on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

“Okay, so...hopefully this works...” Mabel said nervously. “McGucket, you fixed it, right?”  
  
“Well, as best I could.” McGucket said, glancing around nervously at the pictures of Bill. “Why didn't he burn these when he showed you this place?”  
  
“I don't know. I guess he was distracted by me trying to wipe his mind.” Mabel sighed heavily.  
  
“So...is this safe?” Dipper asked. He had been brought down and handcuffed to a metal chair. “I mean...it's not going to hurt, is it?”  
  
“It'll be fine. I wore it.” Mabel assured him.  
  
“What if it doesn't work?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Then we find a way into the castle to find out what he's doing to control you from a distance and stop it.” Mabel sighed. “Even if we have to sacrifice a few people to do it.”  
  
“Wendy's volunteered.” Robbie said, standing near the chair. “Pacifica, too. Grenda also wants to go.”  
  
“Wendy and Pacifica are two of the symbols, I can't risk losing more of us to him.” Mabel said firmly. “No, we'll send a group that Bill can't use. At least then they'll be turned to stone instead of tortured.”  
  
“What are you even saying? Are you listening to yourself?” Dipper asked. “Since when did you start talking like some war general?”  
  
“Since Bill Cipher declared war against my family and friends.” Mabel said, bringing over a strange metal hat with wires attached to it. “Okay, I'm going to fasten this on you, and then we'll turn on the machine. Try to think of, well, anything related to Bill Cipher.”  
  
Dipper nodded. “Okay.”  
  
–  
  
“Come on, Gideon, you gotta fly faster than that! Keep running, Sixer!” Bill laughed as he and his friends chased the two humans through the pyramid.  
  
“He's being completely unreasonable!” Ford said to himself as he and Gideon rounded a corner. “Okay, we need to find a spot to hide so they can pass us by, and then we can turn around and find another way.”  
  
“If we can lose them long enough to hide.” Gideon said, flying above him. It had taken a few hours, but Gideon had gained enough practice flying for Bill to declare it was time to “really test them out” and then declared everyone would join them in a round of tag.  
  
Which is why they were now both running from Bill and his friends for an unknown amount of time with an unknown punishment in store if they were caught. At least Bill's friends seemed to be enjoying the game.  
  
“Wait, there!” Ford jumped up and grabbed Gideon's hand, yanking him down suddenly as he slid into an alcove that they almost missed, appearing to the demons that they had just turned the corner. They passed by their hiding place and Ford held onto Gideon for a bit longer before finally looking out and breathing a sigh of relief. “Okay...they've all passed. Can you find the way back to the throne room? There's a big window you can fly out of.”  
  
“I need to get back to the torture chamber.” Gideon said, shaking his head. “Bill has a puppet that controls Pine Tree – I mean, Dipper. I have to destroy it.”  
  
“That's too risky, you should get out while you can.” Ford shook his head.  
  
“How about I help you escape and then go destroy it? That way only one of us has to suffer, and he's planning to hurt me again anyway.” He pointedly held up his right hand and looked out. “I don't hear them...they must be a ways away. Come on.” He stepped out of the alcove and lifted into the air.  
  
“Gideon...” Ford frowned.  
  
“If you escape, he's down a vital piece and you can plan how to destroy him with the others. If I escape, he'll still have you to torture and he would only go after me to keep toying with me.” Gideon explained grimly as they headed back down the hall towards the throne room, Gideon flying over Ford.  
  
“Your logic is sound, but my heart is against it.” Ford sighed. “Head over heart it is. Let's get back to the throne room.”  
  
Gideon nodded and they started running. They found their way back and Ford headed for the window, Gideon following him. “You could come with me.” Ford said when they got there.  
  
“Someone has to free Dipper, and we don't have time to do both.” Gideon shook his head. “I'll lower you to the ground and then head back before Bill returns.”  
  
“Lower me to that building there.” Ford pointed to a damaged tower. “I can find my way down from there.”  
  
Gideon nodded and grabbed him around the waist, beating his wings as hard as he could to get liftoff. Then he lowered him down to just above the building, where he released Ford, and then flew back up into the large window.  
  
“Good luck, kid.” Ford gave him a two-fingered salute and then headed down the building.  
  
Gideon landed on the floor of the throne room and flew off to the torture chamber, running over spells in his head. Would a basic fire spell do? No, it might not be enough. Besides, he needed to first check to make sure it's not connected with him, so that would take more time...  
  
He might not be able to destroy it after all, but at least if Bill finds him here he'll be too distracted to go after Ford.  
  
He had barely started the spell to detect how much they were connected when he wasn't controlling it when he heard the crowd get back to the throne room.  
  
“Must've missed them turning around. Humans, so innovative!” Bill laughed.  
  
“They're not in here.” He heard Pyronica say.  
  
“Gideon? Sixer!” Bill called. “Where are you?”  
  
Gideon cringed and quickly headed to the doorway looking out at them. “...Did I win?”  
  
“Well, we didn't catch you!” Bill laughed. “Guess you earned a break! Where's Sixer?” He moved closer to him.  
  
Good thing he didn't destroy it after all. “I'm not sure. We got back to the throne room and then I hid in here.” Gideon said, hoping he wouldn't be caught in his lie.  
  
“Well, it's not really where I'd expect you to run.” Bill said thoughtfully, then looked around. “I don't see Sixer anywhere...Guess I'll use my Sight.” He focused and his appearance changed to show where Ford was. It showed him running in the woods, heading for the Mystery Shack. “Oh, that sneaky SON OF A BITCH!” Bill declared. “He took advantage of my kindness in letting him down so he could play with us and escaped?!”  
  
“Maybe we should've kept the Fearamid in one place after all.” Pyronica said, looking out the window and seeing the tall buildings. “I know it was better scenery if it moved, but now Stanford's gone and escaped. Sorry, Bill.”  
  
“Eh, we'll catch him.” Bill shrugged. “In fact, let's go do that now! You can come with.” Bill scooped up Gideon in his hand and headed for the window, flying out it with the others following.  
  
“If he gets to that Shack, we can't get him. He's got a pretty good head-start.” Pyronica reminded Bill.  
  
“So, we'll just make things more difficult for him.” Bill snapped his fingers and an earthquake started. While it was nothing to the giant demons, to a smaller human it would be dangerous. “Alright, let's go get him!” He flew over the city towards the woods. “Pyronica, light 'em up!”  
  
“Gladly!” She held out a hand and fire lit the trees, the flames spreading quickly.  
  
“No!” Gideon cried out. “The creatures in the woods!”  
  
“They'll survive.” Bill waved it off. “I doubt this is their first forest fire.”  
  
Gideon shook his head and flew off his hand, going over to cast a rain spell on the woods.  
  
“You're just gonna let him do that?” Pyronica asked.  
  
“I think it's cute. Besides, now Sixer gets to be soaking wet.” Bill laughed.  
  
“That's true.” Pyronica chuckled.  
  
Gideon looked around before confirming the fire was all out before flying back to Bill. “Please don't destroy my woods.”  
  
“Aww.” Bill patted his head with a finger. “You're so adorable when you panic!”  
  
Gideon looked towards the Shack before landing on Bill's hand again and curling up his wings around him.  
  
–  
  
“Where did this rain come from?!” Ford said, clutching his coat tightly around him. “Ugh, I can't tell which way to go now! And Bill's already noticed my absence...poor kid, hope he wasn't tortured too badly.” He went on at a slower pace, squinting his eyes to see through the rain. “Weirdmageddon is the worst...freak weather in random spots...” He muttered.  
  
He heard Bill's laughter and hurried on as best he could with the rain making the ground slippery. He might have to go out on the road at this rate. Bill was clever, as usual. If only he had a weapon...  
  
No helping it, he'd have to. He stepped out of the woods and ran on the road, hurrying to the Mystery Shack.  
  
“Hey, Sixer!” Bill greeted as the demons approached him. “We never finished our game of tag!”  
  
“Yeah? Well, you're going to be 'it' forever!” Ford shot back, running faster.  
  
“We'll see about that.” Bill grinned and flew faster after him.  
  
“Bill!” Pyronica jerked Bill back just as a harpoon flew through the air and almost hit him.  
  
“What the HELL?!” Bill scanned the area for the attacker, but couldn't see them through the rain. “Gideon, take this rain away!”  
  
“Can't you?” Gideon asked.  
  
“No, it's not MY magic. Take it away.” Bill told him firmly.  
  
“O-Okay.” Gideon nodded and cast the spell to remove the magic-induced rain. When it cleared, they saw a group of people standing at some wall structure with a harpoon cannon on top. Stan was standing next to it, preparing it for another shot.  
  
“Wow, Fez, you've been busy!” Bill said, sounding both surprised and angry. “I guess I should've kept a closer eye on you, huh?!”  
  
“Get back, you freaky triangle!” Stan yelled. “You're not coming near the kids!”  
  
“You think this wall can keep me from your yard?” Bill laughed. “I can just go around it! A noble effort...but stupid. Guys, let's take down this wall.”  
  
“Ford, quickly!” Stan pulled a lever to open a door for Ford to run through.  
  
“He won't be in there long.” Pyronica purred before firing a blast of fire at it. The humans set up around the wall quickly escaped it and then Bill watched as the rest of his friends tore it apart. “You can run, but you can't hide~!” Pyronica said as she and Bill gave chase.  
  
Stan grabbed onto Ford's hand and pulled him to where he'd parked his car. “So, when did Gideon join their side?” He asked Ford.  
  
“He didn't. He's being threatened.” Ford looked over at the small winged figure in Bill's hand. “Poor child. The things he did to him...”  
  
“Let's get you to safety, then we can worry about him.” Stan said, slamming on the gas.  
  
“What about the others?” Ford looked over at the humans still fighting.  
  
“We'll save them when we take Bill down, and for that we need you.” Stan said firmly. “Much as I hate to admit it...”  
  
“Bill's catching up! Do you have a gun?” Ford asked him.  
  
“Uh, no, this is a getaway car, not a car-chase car. Just sit tight, buckle up, and hang on.” He went up to 80mph and increased it, driving towards the Shack.  
  
A CB radio in Stan's car crackled. “Stan, we'll hold him off! Keep going!” They heard Grenda say.  
  
“Hold him off? How?” Ford asked.  
  
“Whoa, rope!” Stan said, noticing a spiderweb of rope that was just over their car and high enough to catch Bill if he came at it.  
  
–  
  
“This is leaving 'amusing' and becoming frustrating. Gideon, burn those ropes.” Bill said, snapping his fingers and causing another earthquake.  
  
“Bill, wait! If his car goes under, Ford will die and you'll never get that equation!” Gideon said, looking at him after setting fire to the ropes.  
  
“Then you better come up with something else, because I'm getting angry.” Bill said, glaring at the car that was struggling to get through the earthquake, narrowly avoiding falling down huge gaps in the road.  
  
“Uhm, how about bubbles? Or you can change the car into something else?” Gideon suggested.  
  
“Oh, there's a thought!” Bill laughed and aimed a finger at the car, changing it's form. Ford and Stan were smooshed together painfully as the car was changed into one of those foot-powered cars for little kids.  
  
“Oh, really?! You rude jerk!” Stan yelled as they struggled to get out of the car.  
  
“Nice!” Bill flew over and picked up the little car. “Double prizes!”  
  
“Sorry.” Gideon said sheepishly.  
  
“No...” Ford sighed. “You...did what you had to.”  
  
“Let's get back to the Fearamid. And next time, Ford, you are not invited to play games with me and Gideon.” Bill turned and flew past the others. “Come on, we got Ford!”  
  
“Awesome!” They stopped tearing apart the wall and grabbed a few unconscious humans as they left.  
  
–  
  
“Darn it!” Mabel kicked at the ground in frustration. “We were so close! Oh, Gideon, why did you put yourself in his grasp?”  
  
“Because of me...” Pacifica said glumly.  
  
“Well, we'll just have to get back to building our ship.” McGucket said, shrugging. “It was a good try. Let's hurry back before the eye-bats come after us.”  
  
Mabel nodded. “Now they've got Grunkle Stan, too...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that didn't go well.


	7. Freaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Stan and Ford captured, Bill has an ingenious idea on how to punish them for fighting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

Ford and Stan grunted as they were dropped onto the floor in front of the throne. Bill sat down in the throne and set Gideon in the cage, leaving the door open. “You've been really bad, Ford. And you dragged your brother into it, too! I'll have to punish you both.” Bill said, reaching up and stroking Gideon's hair with a finger as he spoke.  
  
“Do whatever you want to us, you deranged lunatic!” Stan challenged. “We'll pull through it and kick your ass!”  
  
Bill chuckled. “Well now, how can I ignore a challenge like that? Hmm, let me think...how can I punish you...” He looked at Gideon thoughtfully before looking back at the twins. Hm.... _twins_... “I have _just_ the thing.” His eye squinted in sadistic glee. “To the torture chamber!” He pointed to it and Teeth and Keyhole grabbed both brothers.  
  
“What are you going to do to them?” Gideon asked anxiously.  
  
“Oh, I'm just going to make them _much closer_ , that's all! They'll be _inseparable_!” He closed Gideon's cage and went towards the torture chamber. The next thing Gideon heard was horrified and pained screaming as Bill sang some cheery little ditty.   
  
Gideon whimpered and covered his ears, curling up in his wings.  
  
–  
  
“So...you're going to go fight him in this ship?” Dipper asked from inside his cage.  
  
“Yeah.” Mabel nodded. “It's the only option we have at this point. We've been hiding for too long, it's time to actually make a move.”  
  
“If only it wasn't one-way, we could call for help.” Dipper said, sighing. “I wish I could help you guys...”  
  
“No, you're helping plenty by being in that cage.” Mabel shook her head. “Once we find out how he's controlling you and get rid of it, then we'll send someone to come get you.”  
  
Dipper sighed and curled up against the bars behind him. “Mom and dad are probably really worried...”  
  
“Let's hope they don't send more people for Bill to capture.” Mabel said grimly.  
  
–  
  
“There we go! All done!” Bill said cheerfully. “Come on, let's go show Gideon!”  
  
“You twisted, son of a--” Ford growled.  
  
“You asshole! How could you do this to us?!” Stan snapped.  
  
“Hey, look at it this way. Now Ford has five fingers on one hand, and Stan, Ford never leaves you behind again!” Bill laughed and picked them up, heading for the throne room.  
  
“Gideon, look!” Bill said cheerfully as they reached the throne. “Isn't it such good handiwork?”  
  
“You made them...conjoined twins?” Gideon asked, looking horrified.  
  
“Yep!” Bill set them down on the throne's arm and sat down. “It's so seamless, so well-done! I've really outdone myself!”  
  
“You've really proven what kind of maniac you are, that's what you've done!” Stan said, pointing the five-fingered hand at Bill.  
  
“You could've stopped it before it came to this, Sixer. All you have to do is give me the equation and let me out into your world~!” Bill said in a sing-song voice.   
  
“No, no way! And let you do this to the rest of the world? Forget it!” Ford said firmly, putting his hand on his hip.  
  
“Then get used to each other.” Bill shrugged and opened the cage. “Gideon, come on out and join the rest of us freaks!” He said cheerfully.  
  
Gideon flew out of the cage and landed next to the Stan twins, glancing at his mother turned to stone nearby. “When will you stop?” He looked back at Bill.  
  
“Who said I planned to?” Bill's eye squinted gleefully. “I'm gonna make EVERYONE in this world a freak! This is the true Weirdmageddon! No one will be normal, everyone will be changed! Weirdness lives forever!”  
  
“Weirdness lives forever!” The other demons cheered  
  
“Come on, you say it too.” Bill coaxed them.  
  
Gideon sighed and looked at his changed body parts. If he wanted to keep the rest of his body human, he had to avoid pissing off Bill. “...Weirdness lives forever.”  
  
“Good boy!” Bill stroked his hair with a finger.  
  
“You're sick, deranged, and I hope you die.” Stan said firmly.  
  
Ford just glared at Bill as they crossed their arms over their chest.  
  
“Hey, you know what? Let's get you some food!” Bill held out his hand and Gideon climbed on obediently. “Come on, StanFord!”  
  
They glared at him but climbed onto his hand as well and let him carry them to the table of food.  
  
“Thank you for feeding us.” Gideon said as they were carried.  
  
“Aww, so polite! You should learn from him, StanFord!” Bill said, setting them on the table of food. “Go ahead, dig in!”  
  
“Bill, want some Space Punch?” Pyronica asked him.  
  
“In a bit, I'm watching them.” Bill said, watching as his new little freaks examined the offered food.  
  
“None of this is...long pork, right?” Ford asked.  
  
“Long _what_?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Human meat.” Stan translated for him. Gideon made a disgusted face at the idea of there being a special food-related name for human meat.  
  
“Nope, no human meat.” Bill assured them.  
  
“Okay, good.” Ford nodded.  
  
“Eat up.” Bill said, folding his hands behind his back as he watched them. “My precious little freaks.” He cooed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill is almost...sweet with his freakiness.


	8. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill makes his move again with Dipper and takes Wendy captive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

After they'd eaten, Bill took them back to the throne room and set them in the cage. “You can sleep in here. Do you need a blanket?”  
  
“Would be nice.” Ford said with an indignant huff from Stan.  
  
Bill created a blanket and draped it over them. “Do you need a pillow too?” He asked sweetly.  
  
“No.” Ford sat down next to Gideon. “I'll just use my arm.”  
  
“Which are?” Stan asked.  
  
“Mine. The six-fingered one.” Ford nodded towards it.  
  
“Ah, okay.” Stan nodded. “I guess I'll use mine, then.”  
  
Gideon curled up in his wings and sighed. He was so exhausted from using magic and playing Bill's twisted games.  
  
“Sleep well.” Bill smiled and closed the cage before turning to his friends. “Let's head out and capture any humans that are outside. We're going to  _ force _ Shooting Star to give herself up.”  
  
The others nodded and then they all left, leaving Gideon and Ford alone.  
  
Ford waited until they were all gone before he looked at Gideon. “...Did you destroy it?”  
  
Gideon shook his head. “I couldn't even find out if destroying it would hurt him or not. I had to quickly pretend I only went in there to hide.”  
  
“He didn't punish you for my escape?” Ford asked.  
  
“No, he assumed you jumped onto one of the tall buildings right from the window.” Gideon shook his head.  
  
“Lucky for you. Also, holy crap, what did he do to you?” Stan asked.  
  
“Removed my arm and leg and replaced them with these.” Gideon waved his right hand and left leg. “And also sewed wings onto my back.”  
  
“Yeesh.” Stan cringed. “Were you awake for it?”  
  
Gideon nodded, glancing away.  
  
“Sorry about all this, kid...” Stan sighed.  
  
“Don't be. It's  _ my _ fault for making a deal with him in the first place.” Gideon shook his head.  
  
“You still don't deserve all this.” Ford insisted.  
  
“We both screwed up.” Gideon sighed. “And now Mabel's in trouble and her brother's being controlled by some wooden puppet.”  
  
Stan sighed. “Look, Ford, maybe if you agree to give him that equation, he'll fix us all and we and can fight him together” He suggested.  
  
“Don't be thick, Stan.” Ford shook his head. “You heard him, he wants to make the whole world like this. Why would he change us back? The only way to restore us to normal is to erase his power. Then everything he's done will be undone; it will be like he never came.”  
  
“It was just a suggestion.” Stan huffed.  
  
“And it was a decent one, but not much use right now.” Gideon said, peeking out of his wings at them.  
  
“Are you...being  _ nice _ to me?” Stan asked.  
  
Gideon sighed. “I have made some mistakes concerning you and I. I'm hoping after this is over that we can move past that.”  
  
“...Sure.” Stan nodded.  
  
“I hope no one else gets captured.” Ford sighed.  
  
“I'd hate to see what he does to the others.” Stan shuddered.  
  
Gideon nodded, stroking his wings thoughtfully. “So...what's the deal with Mabel's brother?”  
  
“Oh, he's a nerdy kid, generally doesn't talk to people if he can help it. Pretty much opposite to Mabel.” Stan shrugged. “He likes supernatural stuff, though. Probably because of the birthmark he has.”  
  
“Birthmark?” Ford asked.  
  
“It's on his forehead, in the shape of the Little Dipper.” Stan explained. “I think it's cool, but his classmates make fun of him for it.”  
  
Gideon nodded thoughtfully. “Apparently they're twins. So, he's 13, like Mabel.”  
  
“After we beat Bill, we're throwing them a proper birthday party.” Stan nodded firmly.  
  
–  
  
“We're losing pieces, Mabel. Fast.” Robbie said grimly.  
  
“I know. And we're no closer to getting Dipper free from Bill's control.” Mabel sighed. “Do you think going there will actually work?”  
  
“Like you said, we have no other options.” Wendy said, looking at their ship in progress. “At this point, we're desperate.”  
  
“Did you see what Gideon looked like?” Pacifica said sadly. “He had wings...”  
  
“What did that madman do to him?” Mabel said, clenching her fists on her skirt.  
  
“And where was his shirt?” Grenda asked.  
  
“Well, obviously his shirt was ripped to allow room for the wings.” Robbie said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
“What, he can't have wings AND a shirt?” Grenda asked.  
  
“Maybe a sleeveless shirt.” Mabel said thoughtfully.  
  
“You guys are focusing on the weirdest things.” Wendy got up and went over to Dipper. “How you feeling?”  
  
“Like I have to go to the bathroom.” Dipper admitted.  
  
Wendy looked at Mabel. “Can I take him to the bathroom?”  
  
“Yes, but be alert.” Mabel nodded.  
  
Wendy nodded and reached over to get the key to unlock his cage. “Alright, now you behave, okay? Don't go getting controlled.”  
  
“I'll try.” Dipper said, shrugging helplessly.  
  
Wendy opened the door and let him out, leading him to the bathroom. “I'm going to stay right out here, okay?” Wendy said, opening the bathroom door for him.

“Robbie always insists on coming in with me.” Dipper said, looking at her.  
  
“Robbie is a guy. I'm a girl.” Wendy pointed out.  
  
“Yes, yes you are.” Dipper blushed and went in, closing the door behind him.  
  
Wendy blinked and chuckled a bit. “Cute kid.”  
  
She waited for him to finish, taping her foot to keep track of how long it took. The house was full of metronomes Robbie had supplied to help them keep track of the passing time, not that people noticed them that much. After a while, they were completely ignored in favor of more important things.   
  
“You almost done?” She asked, looking at the door.  
  
Dipper was silent, which made her frown and open the door. “Dipper?”   
  
To her shock, Dipper slammed the shower-curtain pole into her, knocking her down. Then he pinned her with the pole, his eyes glowing golden-yellow with slit pupils. “Step outside or I'll burn this place down.” He said aggressively. “I found matches in the bathroom.”  
  
“Shit...” Wendy cringed.  
  
“Move.” He pocketed the matchbox and moved the pole. “I will not hesitate to hit you again if you don't do I as I say.”  
  
“Okay, fine.” Wendy raised her hands up and got up, turning to the giftshop.  
  
“No, other way.” Dipper nodded to the other door. “Away from the others. We'll slip out unseen.”  
  
“Why me?” Wendy asked.  
  
“Because Stitch-Heart will come after you, but you won't come after him.” Dipper said simply as he nudged her again. “Let's move, Red.”  
  
“Asshole.” Wendy hissed.  
  
“I'm not playing games here, Red. Move or the place burns.” Dipper said firmly.  
  
“Wendy?” They heard Mabel calling. “Is Dipper still in the bathroom?”  
  
“Go.” Dipper said firmly.  
  
Wendy scowled but complied, not wanting to risk him really setting the place on fire. There was too much stuff in here that was flammable, starting with the wooden floor. They slipped out the other door, Mabel just missing them leaving.  
  
Wendy stepped out and looked at the demon waiting for her in the treeline. “...That's my escort?”  
  
“Get going.” Dipper said firmly.  
  
“Fine. I'll kick your ass for this.” Wendy walked over to Keyhole, who knelt down to grab her.  
  
Dipper headed back inside and entered the bathroom, where he put the matchbox away before hitting himself with the pole, collapsing into the bathtub.  
  
“Ow...my head...” Dipper groaned, waking up and looking around. “What the...why am I in the bathtub? Uh...Wendy?” He got up and went to the door, looking around. “Wendy?”  
  
“Dipper!” Mabel came down the stairs. “I came to check on you guys and you and Wendy were gone!”  
  
“I just woke up in the bathtub...the pole fell on my head.” Dipper said, rubbing his head.  
  
“Oh, geez...that thing.” Mabel walked over to look at it. “I didn't think to look in the bathtub. Well, where's Wendy?”  
  
“I dunno.” Dipper shrugged.  
  
“Mabel!” Robbie ran into the room. “Keyhole just flew off carrying Wendy!”  
  
“What?!” Mabel cried. “How did he get her, she was inside!”  
  
Robbie looked at Dipper. “Where were you?!”  
  
“In the bathtub.” Dipper pointed to it. “The pole fell and knocked me in. And out.”  
  
“Okay, so it wasn't you...” Robbie frowned and went to the back door, which had been left open. “So...why did she go out?”  
  
“I don't know.” Mabel sighed. “But that means Bill has another piece...and we're not nearly done with the ship.”  
  
“I swear, if Wendy has wings when I next see her, I'm stabbing that creep in the eye!” Robbie growled.  
  
“Robbie, calm down. I need you to keep your cool.” Mabel told him.  
  
“Calm down? That jerk has all of my friends AND my parents, Mabel! How can I calm down?!” Robbie snapped.  
  
“How do you think I feel? He has ALL of my family!” Mabel reminded him.  
  
“Uhm..I'm going back to my cage.” Dipper said, stepping backwards towards the giftshop.  
  
“...Sounds good.” Mabel nodded, following him.  
  
Robbie looked out the open door and went to the doorway. “Wendy...please be safe...”  
  
–  
  
“Oof!” Wendy grunted as she was dropped at Bill's feet. “You sneaky, slimy, son of a--”  
  
“Whoa, whoa, language! There's a child present.” Bill said, gesturing to Gideon. “And I'm not slimy. Am I slimy?” He looked at the cage.  
  
“No.” Gideon said, shaking his head.  
  
“See? He knows.” Bill grinned.  
  
“...'Cept your tongue.” Gideon mumbled.  
  
Bill laughed and then floated Wendy up to look at her better. “Alright, Red. I can either turn you into a statue, or you can join our games.”  
  
“I'm not going to join any of your—OH MY GOD, what did you do to STAN?!” Wendy cried, noticing him in the cage with Gideon.  
  
“Only gave him what he wanted - a brother that would never leave him behind!” Bill said gleefully.  
  
“Oh, Stan...” Wendy brought her hands to her mouth, horrified.  
  
“I'm alright, Wendy...all things considered.” Stan sighed.  
  
“How could you do this to them?!” Wendy looked back at Bill.  
  
“Simple, I just do it. Wanna see how?” Bill's eye glinted slyly.  
  
“No!” Wendy shook her head. “I bet it's gross!”  
  
“Well, you're not wrong.” Ford remarked.  
  
“Look, Red, I really don't want to turn you symbols into statues. Not as much fun.” Bill said, examining his hand. “So, how about you join our games? I promise we'll have fun!”  
  
“What does he mean by 'games'?” Wendy asked.  
  
“He challenges us to a game. If we lose, he makes us do something or changes a body part.” Gideon explained. “And if he has us do something and we stop before he tells us to, he changes a body part.”  
  
“That is sick and wrong.” Wendy cringed.  
  
“It's not...so bad, I guess.” Gideon said, looking at his left hand thoughtfully. “The worst part is when he makes us watch.”  
  
Wendy glared at Bill. “And you want me to join you in these 'games'?”  
  
“Yep!” Bill closed his eye in delight. “So, you in?”  
  
“Do I have a choice?” Wendy asked.  
  
“Well, since I don't want to turn you to stone because it's boring...no.” Bill laughed.  
  
“...Fine.” Wendy huffed.  
  
“Yo, Cipher, I don't think all ten of them are gonna fit in this cage.” Pacifier commented.  
  
“Eh, yeah. I noticed. I'll come up with something else when I get more.” Bill waved it off. “So, let's play a game! Right now!”  
  
“Right now?” Gideon and Ford despaired.  
  
“Yep!” Bill cackled. “Let's see, what can we play with three people...”  
  
“There's hide and seek.” Stan suggested.  
  
“Nope, don't wanna risk anyone escaping again.” Bill shook his head. “Hm...Oh! Musical chairs!” Bill clapped his hands together excitedly.  
  
“Wait, what happens to the loser?” Wendy asked.  
  
“Oh, they get punished, of course.” Bill said simply. “We'll go until a certain point and keep track of who lost how many times, just to be fair!”  
  
“Okay...what point?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Hm...Ah!” Bill summoned a large hourglass. “Normally clocks and stuff wouldn't be working, but since I summoned it, it will work.” He then summoned chairs for them and let StanFord and Gideon out of the cage. “Here we go! Gideon, no flying. StanFord, only one chair. Let's make it fair for Little Miss Red-Hair.” He said gleefully, clapping his hands. “Aaaand cue the music!”  
  
Wendy swallowed nervously as they walked around the two chairs set up back to back. 'Why did he even bother to tell Stan and Ford only one chair?' She thought as they walked. She couldn't help but notice that Gideon had really pretty wings, though they looked kind of heavy for a ten year old.  
  
“Music stop, find your seats!” Bill called out. The trio quickly moved to sit down, Stan and Wendy sitting and leaving Gideon standing. “Okay, so that's one loss for Gideon, and the game moves on!” He nodded to Pyronica, who marked a scoreboard with the humans' names on it. “Music start! Aaaand we're walking!”  
  
“We can't let Gideon go back in that place.” Wendy heard Stan saying to Ford.  
  
“But I don't want to know what else he'll do to us.” Ford replied.  
  
“So, what, we leave Wendy to the slab? She's just a kid!” Stan hissed.  
  
“So is Gideon, but do you really want to go back in there?” Ford hissed back.  
  
“We can handle it, Gideon's already been through too much. And I don't want to know what he'll do to Wendy.”  
  
“Music stop, find your seats!” Bill called. Once again, all three moved to sit down. Wendy was too late this time, and Bill had Pyronica mark under her name before saying “That's one loss for Red, and the game moves on! Music start! Aaaaand we're walking!”  
  
Wendy looked behind her at Gideon, who was looking towards the floor. She couldn't fathom what he'd been through to deserve so many changes. His hand, his leg, and then those wings...what else would Bill Cipher do to him if he lost this game?  
  
“...You gonna be okay?” She asked him.  
  
“Don't worry about me, Wendy. Worry about yourself, you're...unblemished.” Gideon said softly. His hair was unstyled and draped around his face, which only seemed to add to his depressed appearance.  
  
“But--” Wendy started, but was cut off by Bill again.  
  
“Music stop! Find your seats!”  
  
This time it was StanFord left standing. Bill marked it and then ordered them to continue. And so it went on for the full hour, each of them failing to sit down in time at one point or another.  
  
Finally, the sand reached the bottom of the hourglass. Bill snapped his fingers and the hourglass and chairs vanished, leaving behind the scoreboard. “Okay, what do we have? Who lost the most?” He floated over to look at it. “Let's see...mmmmm....ah!” He turned to the group. “Gideon!”  
  
Gideon flinched.  
  
“You narrowly avoided a trip to the slab!” Bill laughed. He'd freaked him out on purpose. “Looks like the person to sit down the least was...Red!”  
  
“No! Take me, not her!” Stan cried.  
  
“Are you insane?! It's my body right now, too!” Ford hissed.  
  
“She's just a kid! Please!” Stan begged.  
  
“I don't want to go in there!” Ford said firmly.  
  
Bill tapped his bowtie thoughtfully. “Well, you guys seem a little undecided. What about you, Gideon? Will you take the slab in her place?”  
  
“Me? I...” Gideon looked reluctant.  
  
Wendy looked at Gideon and clenched her fists before turning back to Bill. “Just take me. I can handle it.”  
  
“A brave girl.” Bill cooed. “Oh, I'm going to make you so weird and beautiful. Come along.” He extended a hand to her.  
  
“Bill, please!” Stan begged as Wendy climbed onto his hand. “Don't do this!”  
  
“Shh. She's already decided it herself.” Bill carried her away. “Ronnie, be a dear and put them back in the cage for me?”  
  
“Yep.” Pyronica walked over and scooped them up, carrying them back to the cage. “Relax, he likes her. He won't hurt her too much. In fact, she might get better treatment than you guys.”  
  
They heard Wendy cry out in pain and looked at each other doubtfully.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Wendy look like when she comes off the slab?


	9. Fashion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy gets a new look, but now her clothes don't feel right. Time for new ones!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

“There.” Bill moved back and looked over his handiwork. “All done.”

Wendy looked at her arm, which was covered with smooth, golden-brown fur. “I guess… it's not bad.” She looked at her clothes piled on the floor. “Could be worse, I suppose. Can I get dressed now?”

“Eh, sure. Though, it might ruffle your fur. There really isn't a need for all that cloth on your body, your new fur covers everything.” Bill handed her the discarded clothes.

“Thanks for not ripping them.” Wendy said, starting to get dressed. She found, however, that adding clothes on top of her fur felt _too warm_ and removed them with a sigh. “Seriously? Do you have anything else for me to wear?”

“Wow, so demanding. Let's show off your new fur to everyone, then we can discuss clothing.” Bill extended his hand to her.

Wendy tossed aside her clothes and climbed up on his hand. “I feel like a tail-less monkey.”

“Do you want a tail? You can have your choice of species. Oh, how about a bushy fox tail? Or a thin lioness tail?” Bill asked excitedly.

Wendy looked thoughtful. “...I do like bushy tails… can it match my hair, though?”

“Of course! Lay on your stomach, this is gonna be a bit. Since this is a freebie, I'll be nice about it.” He said, watching as she settled back down on the slab.

“Can I at least get a bra? This lack of support is killing my spine.” Wendy cringed.

“With a tail, that won't be a worry anymore. But, we can discuss clothing options after we show you off.” Bill said, bringing a finger to her tailbone. “This might twinge, bear with it. Hah! Bear.” His finger glowed and he moved his hand back, creating a luxurious bushy tail as red as her hair. “Red, you are a vision of beauty.” He cooed, moving back. “It's done.”

Wendy sat up, her tail swishing into her view. “Ohh… what kind is it?”

“It's a fox tail.” Bill said, extending a hand for her to climb onto.

“I'm gonna be honest, I love it. You're still a creep, though.” She said, climbing onto his hand.

“Yes I am. _I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here._ ” He sang as he carried her out. “Gideon, StanFord, look at her!” He said as he brought her over to the cage.

“To be honest, I have no idea how I look overall.” Wendy admitted.

“Honey, you look gorgeous.” Pyronica assured her. “Hey, Bill, make them a mirror.”

“Now, there's a thought.” Bill snapped his fingers and a large full-length mirror appeared on the arm of the throne. “Take a look. Gideon, StanFord, you too.”

“Do we _have_ to?” Stan cringed.

“Let's get it over with.” Ford sighed.

“Okay.” Stan nodded, and they jumped out of the open cage, Gideon flying out after them. They landed on the arm of the throne and looked in the mirror with Wendy.

“That's…not so bad.” Stan said, looking at their new body. They were dressed in Ford’s pants, which had been salvaged somehow from Bill's vicious claws (space fabric, he had to get some of that) and their left side was made of Ford while the right was Stan. “...My burn's gone, there's a silver lining.”

Gideon turned one way and then the other, examining his wings for the first time. If it was different circumstances, he might be excited about having such beautiful wings. He was feeling a bit self-conscious about his lack of shirt, though.

Wendy was examining her face. She thought it would look horrible with fur all over it, but she didn't look bad at all. And Bill was right, her fur covered her privates very well, but she still wanted clothes.

“Well?” Bill prompted.

“It doesn't look bad. Now, about those clothes?” Wendy asked, looking at him.

“You really want them?” Bill asked.

“It'd be nice…” Gideon said hopefully.

“Ehhh, okay. Ronnie, why don't you get them some clothes?” Bill suggested.

“Me?” Pyronica raised her brow.

“You're the only one here that wears clothes.” Pacifier pointed out.

“Well, I sort of do. But I figure she'd have a better idea of what suits them, being closer to their body-type.” Bill shrugged. “If not, I can do it.”

“Nah, I got it.” Pyronica extended her hands to them. “Let's go to my room!”

They climbed on her hands and held on as she headed out of the throne room.

“Have fun!” Bill called.

\--

“So… you make clothes?” Ford asked.

“That such a surprise? No one else in this group can, and I like to mix it up sometimes.” Pyronica shrugged. “Here, try this on.” She passed StanFord a white shirt with black writing on the front.

They looked at it and Stan laughed while Ford groaned. “Really?”

“What is it?” Wendy asked.

“Put it on.” Pyronica grinned.

“Fine. Stan, help me out.” Ford said. They turned around and put the shirt on, then turned back.

“‘This is our get-along body’...that is both sick and morbid but also genius.” Gideon said, looking the shirt over.

“I know, right?” Pyronica said, then handed Gideon something. “Red, can you help him fasten this on?”

“Sure.” Wendy walked over to help him with the white and gold garment.

“Is this a dress?” Gideon asked.

“Greek Toga.” Pyronica said, already making the next outfit.

“Ah. Because of the Icarus reference you made when I first got these.” Gideon said with a shift of his wings.

“Hold still, this is a weird clasp.” Wendy said as she fastened the toga.

“When you get done with that, put this on.” Pyronica set a couple pieces of clothes next to them.

  
“There you go, Gideon.” Wendy walked over and picked up the new clothes, holding them up. “Is this a skirt?”  
  
“Skirts are best for if you have a tail.” Pyronica said matter-of-factly. “I can make you pants if it's a problem, though.”  
  
“That'd be nice. I haven't worn skirts in...ever.” Wendy handed her the skirt.  
  
“Try on the shirt.” Pyronica gestured to it, getting to work on the skirt.  
  
Wendy put on the white and gold shirt, which was really more of a really fancy bra that pretended to be a shirt. Maybe more like the upper part of a two-piece swimsuit? Anyways, it was comfortable enough, and it actually gave her a bit of support, comfortably cushioning her breasts. The “sleeves” were strings of gold beads that looped around her arms and connected to the rest of the shirt.  
  
“There you go.” Pyronica handed her the white pants. “Try these on. And mind the tail. They'll hang low, obviously.”  
  
Wendy pulled them on and then looked at herself in the mirror. “Hey, I actually look pretty good!”  
  
“Can we get something else to wear?” Ford asked.  
  
“Aww, you don't like the shirt?” Pyronica asked.  
  
“It's...” Ford sighed. “A bit...”  
  
“Weird?” She grinned.  
  
“Why don't we get clothes like them?” Stan asked.  
  
“Because they earned it by being nice.” Pyronica stuck out her tongue, which made Gideon jump a bit and hover in the air before he landed and moved behind Wendy. “What, too long for you? Or did Bill give you a fear of tongues?” She laughed. “I'm not gonna eat you, Gideon! At least not for forever. I might swallow you and then let you out sometime later.”  
  
Gideon whimpered. Wendy held him protectively and glared at Pyronica. The demoness rolled her eye and giggled. “Okay, okay. You can't take a joke. Too weird for you, I see.”  
  
She extended her hands to them and nodded. “Let's go show you off to Bill, come on!”  
  
They climbed onto her hands and she skipped out of the room carrying them.  
  
–  
  
Bill, of course, found the shirt hilarious. Ford waited for him to stop laughing, his hand on his hip impatiently. “So? What now?” He asked when Bill finally stopped.  
  
“Now? Hm, let me think.” Bill looked thoughtful. “Ah! Gideon, how would you like to go see Shooting Star?”  
  
“...Why?” Gideon asked.  
  
“Because I need someone to tell her that if she doesn't surrender herself, I'll just keep taking pieces off her board until she has no choice.” Bill squinted his eye in glee. “And you'd be a great pick for the job! I'll of course have someone go with you. Not because I don't _trust_ you, I mean I at _least_ trust you not to betray me _again_ , but if Shooting Star pulls you into the building it will be most _annoying_ for me.” His expression hardened. “Understand?”  
  
Gideon nodded. “I-I understand.”  
  
“Good! You'll go tomorrow. Today, you all can relax, eat some food, drink some punch – not the pink Space Punch, it will kill you. Too strong. Drink the blue punch.” Bill said firmly. “And then we'll settle you down for beddy-bye until tomorrow!” His eye closed cheerfully as he said the last sentence happily.  
  
“Uh...okay.” Wendy nodded. “What's in the blue punch?”  
  
“Not alcohol.” Pyronica shrugged. “Some kind of fruit.”  
  
“I'm not really hungry.” Gideon admitted.  
  
“Eat, Gideon. You'll need your strength for tomorrow.” Bill coaxed him firmly as he took them all to the table.  
  
“Why can't you just give him a break? Send someone else to talk to Mabel.” Wendy suggested. “I could go.”  
  
“Nope, I'm sending Gideon. Partly to test his loyalty and partly because she might actually listen to him.” Bill said matter-of-factly before snagging a glass of the pink Space Punch and floating off, leaving them on the table to eat.  
  
“So...there's no uh...human meat, right?” Wendy asked Gideon and StanFord.  
  
“No, there's no human meat.” Gideon assured her.  
  
“Good. Because I am famished.” Wendy dug into some of the food.  
  
Stan frowned. “I guess they need to send someone to get food...I wish we could help them.”  
  
“If they were on Bill's side, they wouldn't NEED help.” Pyronica said pointedly. “It's not like we want to kill anyone, we just wanna make everyone weird like us. Which isn't really MY style but, hey, there's other planets we can destroy later.”  
  
“Weirdness lives forever.” Bill said, floating by with a half-empty glass of Space Punch.

 

**Author's Note:**

> In the game of chess, one small piece can be the difference between victory and loss.


End file.
